Re-Etched Celebrated W&B

Here is one that has a bunch of bids, will
probably go for higher than it should.
Picture number 5 is clear evidence it's been re-etched. But the description says nothing of it.
Look at the buffed low grit horizontal scratches going under etching..
I always wondered about various blades on the Bay but without the blade in hand its hard to tell. This one is fairly definitive.
It's something I've looked into for my blades but if i were to sell one then I would feel obligated to say it's been re-etched. IMO
Vintage Wade Butcher Sheffield Straight Razor w Wide Blade Box | eBay

Edit: It's still possible that something was used to darken the existing etching. I could be totally wrong.

There is also something weird going on next to the notch in pics 4 and 5, plus pic 8 looks like a different razor altogether. :shrug:

IDK.. There's like no incentive to do that... If you have the technical capability to restore that without trashing the blade, why not offer a mint product?

I may be mistaken, but I've heard that using some type of ground lead powder, or chimney soot, I can't remember the name of the stuff, that you can brush/press into a faded etching and it will cause the etching to pop out - after a couple of shaves, or even a single shave, it will disappear, but that is speculation on my part, could just be the photography/lighting.

Even if the etch has been 'colored' or re-etched (I doubt this!) this razor has quite a few other issues that should caution careful thought. The pitting on the blade face is pretty bad, and very difficult to correct (if not impossible) because it's a hollow ground. The edge definitely needs repair necessitating perhaps a 1/16th inch loss in size. Not something I would bid on...BUT that's just me!

It will never look like this:

Attachment 213126Attachment 213127

The etching system necessary is not too expensive if that is indeed the case. Buy one and then blade could be restored without thought to etching, but it will never be as nice and deep.
Looking closer the etching looks strange, could be lighting, could be product (soot or otherwise).
People blindly buy these. As wolfpack says, it is a full hollow with serious issues, will never be great.
Fools and their money... we won't know until we see the exaggerated price!... but I will bet they pay too much, because I doubt ALL of them read this warning.
A couple of them will no doubt battle it out for the supreme position of galactic coolness.. the ultimate treasure (cough cough), the one and true king of straight razors, the most desired and rare (LMAO)... the W&B who cares what condition as long as its 8/8+ and celebrated by every barber who once glimpsed it!!! Hehehe
I've got a bunch them, there's just so many out there, they are just begging to be bought. :D

On the first few pictures it looks to be covered in some sort of oil and grime; the tip gave it away. Honestly, for what it is it looks fine: a common razor from an incredibly common manufacturer, a bit boring in my opinion. Like a Henckels: probably a decent razor, but in absolutely no way exciting; well, except for "OMGHUUUGE F0r BArRRbUr$ U$$e!!"¤2&". Meh.

not re etched. Looks more like he just rubbed it with a piece of emery or croakus to bring out the etch. Used color corrections to try and make the deeper pitting near the nose less visible. Would have been worth more if he had left it as is and not mucked with it. (imo)
And yes, that is a picture of a medium hollow ground mixed in there. =P

Why are we allowed to pull apart vendors such as this from eBay, this is not the first thread by any means, but 'bashing vendors' in general is prohibited?

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Originally Posted by puketui41

Why are we allowed to pull apart vendors such as this from eBay, this is not the first thread by any means, but 'bashing vendors' in general is prohibited?

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thank you for the reminder.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by puketui41

Why are we allowed to pull apart vendors such as this from eBay, this is not the first thread by any means, but 'bashing vendors' in general is prohibited?

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by silverloaf

thank you for the reminder.

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I may be wrong, BUT isn't this what this forum (Auction Talk EBAY), and the Hall Of Shame forum are all about? Aren't they about praising the good vendors and nicer listings but also perhaps warning newer members about less than adequate razors listed by possibly less reputable sellers on EBAY? SRP folks with less experience in judging a razors quality by pictures alone can always use a little help IMO.

Take this listing for example... pics of obviously different razors; multiple blade deficiencies, etc., with a description that says: "The razor shows light surface dirt and normal wear."

Like I say...it's just my opinion, but there are plenty of fine vendors on EBAY, that consistently offer quality razors with honest descriptions...vendors such as yourself Silverloaf. I see nothing wrong with pointing this out...

Just my humble thoughts on the matter...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Wolfpack34

I may be wrong, BUT isn't this what this forum (Auction Talk EBAY), and the Hall Of Shame forum are all about? Aren't they about praising the good vendors and nicer listings but also perhaps warning newer members about less than adequate razors listed by possibly less reputable sellers on EBAY? SRP folks with less experience in judging a razors quality by pictures alone can always use a little help IMO.

Take this listing for example... pics of obviously different razors; multiple blade deficiencies, etc., with a description that says: "The razor shows light surface dirt and normal wear."

Like I say...it's just my opinion, but there are plenty of fine vendors on EBAY, that consistently offer quality razors with honest descriptions...vendors such as yourself Silverloaf. I see nothing wrong with pointing this out...

Just my humble thoughts on the matter...

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cautioning and pointing out potential issues with a blade are beneficial at times. there has been a growing trend of offering up opinions and overly critical points of view. that is apparent if you review the threads from the past year and a half. lots of folks simply speculate like in this thread and others have sticker shock and point fingers at vendors citing "greed" as the reason a razor sells for a high price when in fact the numbers are based on the buyers actions/bid wars/current market threshholds etc. that can be interpreted as vendor bashing and not so much looking out for others interests.
so there are definite benefits to these threads if we use them within the framework they are intended for. that being said there is also much need for considering how we say something and perhaps rethinking whether or not we should say anything at all.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by silverloaf

cautioning and pointing out potential issues with a blade are beneficial at times. there has been a growing trend of offering up opinions and overly critical points of view. that is apparent if you review the threads from the past year and a half. lots of folks simply speculate like in this thread and others have sticker shock and point fingers at vendors citing "greed" as the reason a razor sells for a high price when in fact the numbers are based on the buyers actions/bid wars/current market threshholds etc. that can be interpreted as vendor bashing and not so much looking out for others interests.
so there are definite benefits to these threads if we use them within the framework they are intended for. that being said there is also much need for considering how we say something and perhaps rethinking whether or not we should say anything at all.

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I agree with the points you make. Especially about more careful consideration and thoughtfulness before posting, which can be applicable in lots of instances and not reserved explicitly in the topic example of this thread, and this particular sub-forum. JMO...

This sub forum is not prefect. Far from it. Perhaps the reason is that the topic is a sticky one, and eBay is by default of human nature a dirty place often. And by human nature I am not strictly referring to greed (though it's impact is manifold), I am referring to other aspects of human nature, like survival drive. People have bills.
Great things happen both good and bad. I really like eBay. Though I'm very suspicious of listings after getting burned many times, sometimes by good people who didn't know, sometimes by that survival drive making them blind, sometimes by amoral, greedy cheats.
Sometimes we cheat ourselves!
Your right, people should watch what they say to protect "good sellers" and to maintain integrity I might add.
I would not take back this post. I did not target this seller as a greedy cheat, that is a conclusion I left open. To me it looked like re-etching, and for whatever the "sellers intent" there was manipulation of the photos to make the blade look more enticing, and THAT is a factor which affects the buyer and is not simply the "demand" but a tool to drive demand. The item has been presented in a way to appeal to an existing demand without meeting in actuality the criteria necessary. Demand varies by an items attributes.
So whatever the sellers intent, the action is there.
Those greedy sellers also hurt good sellers business.
And lets not get into greedy buyers! Ever tried to sell a quality straight razor for a fair price? List it for a hundred bucks and have someone write you with a sob story, love the razor, I'm poor, will you sell it to me for $15? Write them back, "I put 10-20+ hrs in, after expenses that's me getting $1 an hour" they write again, "okay $20.." LMAO
EBay is perilous. For Good sellers and Good buyers who get caught in the middle.
So tone it down? Sure, that's a good idea.
But just as your reference to the market (demand), the same applies to a growing number of people who are bitter from getting manipulated. That growing number is ramping up as more value/demand and numbers try to fit in a pool that is getting smaller. Threads like this are a good thing, and people on all sides will just need to learn how to discern. The attention to the cheating that happens every day is necessary and this is the place to draw that attention. So what if some guys make assumptions, their free to do that.
This was a tame thread. Not much bashing going on. Just some healthy debate and speculation. Where's the problem?
Maybe it's been happening in other threads? Maybe some sellers are a little sensitive? I would be too, it often sucks to be a seller. My heart goes out to you.
Don't worry, when buyers like me want something, we pay a fair price, and I've never complained about a fair deal, only when info is wrong, like the 8/8 German blade that was a hair over 7/8, I gave a bad review "only" because the seller told me to push off!
Good luck on the Bay Silverloaf, I've always wanted one of your blades, beautiful work, great craftsmanship, and you sell them for what I consider very fair prices.